Escape tube for submarines



Dec. 16, 1930. H. A. STUDWELL 1,734,915

ESCAPE TUBE FOR SUBMARINES Filed May 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a z/ z 2o 43 Z T; /2

Z I 3; d i I M 27 70 "1 f 1 30 I 2 9 Q2 72 a l 36 I f 3.7

I r g $513 I.

Dec. 16, 1930. H AfSTUDWELL I 1,784,915

ESCAPE TUBE FOR SUBMARINES Filed ma 'zl, 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I L I I Z9 35 I 47 1 42 3 v if l I 1 l 57"? 1 ,5 I I f v I l l i 1 u.\

43 J7 I I 49 l v 54- i. 9, 6' I 14 I! H E j gwuentov Patented Dec. 16, 1930 UNITED TATES:

HENRY A. s'rUnwELL, or STAMFORD, ooivnno'rrcu'r ESOAPE'TUBE ron sunnnnmns I Application filed May 21,

This invention relates to an escape device by means of which the crew may escape from a submerged submarine, and has for an objectto provide a device of this character of simple construction which will be reliable and effective in operation and may be operated by a single man so that the last man may escape.

It is a further object of the invention-to 1 provide a device of this character which is not dependent for its operation upon power or machinery which might be put out of order by an accident to the vessel.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device in which a buoy may be carried and permitted to escape in case of sinking of the vessel to. mark its location, and which may also be used for transmitting messages or food to the occupants of the vessel. V

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings. In these. drawings,

Fig. l is a side-elevation of the device as applied to a submarine certain parts being broken away to more clearly show the construction. i

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the upper portion of the device, the plane of the section being substantially at right angles to Fi 1. as b vent valve. Y v

Fig; 4 is a section through the upper end of the device showing the valve for controlling the equalizing pressures inthe open position. p 1

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the lower part of the device showing the closure for the lower entrance opening to "the device in closed position. 7 i

Fig. 6 is a transverse section substantially on line 6-6 of Fig 1 and showing. the closure for the opening in the open position. Fig. 7 is transverse section substantially on line 7 -7 01": Fig. 5, and

Fig. 8 isa partial. section andpartial ele- .Fig. 3 is a detail, section of the automatic 1928. Serial No. 279,287.

vation of the lower portion ofthe device showinghow the buoy may be carried.

In thedrawing the outer shell or upper deck of a submarine is shown'diagrarnmati-v cally at 10, and my improved escape device is mounted to pass through this deck and is exposed at its upper end outside the vessel for escapeot the men. It is provided within the vessel with means for gaining access to the device and closing it off from the interior of the submarine. This escapedevice comprisesa tubular casing 11 of suitable size to holda man. For example, it may be about twenty-two to twenty-four inches in diam eter and somewhat over six teetlong.

The open upper end projecting above the. deck of the vessel is closed water tight by a hinged closure 12 hinged to the casing at 13 and opensby swinging outwardly, as indi-. cated .in dotted lines Fig.1. This closure 1 has an arm- 14 connected by link 15 to an operating rod l6,passing through the decklO to the interior ofthe submarine where it is:

provided witha handle 17 for operating the closure, and may have an eye or hook 18 for u 7 attachmentof a weight l9 for automatically opening the closure 12 after pressures within and; without the device are equalized as will later be. described.

Means isprovided in the closure 12 for equalizingpressures within and without the casing 11 so that the closure 12 may be opened. Mounted within the closure is a casing. 20 carrying a ball valve 21 controlling openings-22 leading to the interior of the casing, and a downwardly inclined tube or opening 23 communicates; with the outside of the closure. A spring 24 tends to close the ballvalve 21 and hold it against its seat to close the openings .22. The valve may be opened by means of a lever25 pivoted to the closure at 26 and engaging a rod or pin 27 extending to the ball valve. The lever is normally raised by a spring 28 permitting the valve 21to close and a suitable cable or other means 29 may be provided for operating the lever 25. It will be apparent that by pulling downwardly on the lever 25 the pin 27 will be vforced against the valve 21 lifting this valve from its seat and opening comthat outside the closure.

Means is provided for venting the air in the casing 11 while this water is flowing lnto it. For this purpose a pair of ventpipes 30 lead from the upper portion of the casing and preferably extend down through the deck to the interior of the submarineso that the air is vented backinto the interior thereof instead of being lost. These tubes may be closed by hand'valves 31 from the interior of the vessel, and they have automatic valves shown more clearly in Fig. 3. The entrance to the tubes is provided with a valve seat 32 and this end of the pipe is enclosed in a casing 33 closed at its lower end byan inclined wall 34. A ball float valve 3551s in this casing and it is normally in the lower part thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. An entrance open-- ing 36 is provided in the side of the casing.

- As the-water rises within the shell or casing 11 air is forced through'the opening 36 and vent tube until the water reaches the opening 36 when it will flow into the casing 33 and raise the float valve against the seat '32 and prevent water flowing through the pipe 30.

I have alsoprovided an improved means for permitting access to, the interior of the tube 11 from a submarine compartment. For this purpose the side of the casing is provided with an opening 37 of any suitable shape but preferably elongated vertically to facilitate'the entrance of a man'into the easing. The casing is enclosed by a suitable closure 38 which is mountedto turn about the casingand has an opening 39 of substantially the. same size and shape as the opening 37 in the casing. This closure is mounted on suit-' able bearings on the outer wall of the casing, and to facilitate operation of this closure ball bearings-40 and-41 are preferably used at the opposite ends of the closure. A vertical rod 42 extends between the flanges 43 at the opposite ends of the closure and forms a convenient handle for operating the closure. At

one side of the openings 37- 39 the casing and closure are provided with aligned re cesses 44 and 45 to permit a person within the casing 11 to pass his hand through and grasp the rod 42 to partially close the closure 38. The closure 38 is provided with 'a'recess or opening 46 in the inner wall which opening is closed by a plate 47 and is arranged in alignment with the recess 44, and is so positioned that whenlthe closureis partly closed this recess 46 is accessible through the opening 37 in the casing and the person within the casing may place his hand withinthls recess 46 and move the closure to the com "pletely closed position of Fig. 7; Thus by son still in the submarine','or it may be closed by theman himself Within'the casing. The. man may then open the valve 21 by pulling onthelever 25. Thispermits water to flow into the casing 11 and equalize the pressure therein with that of-the water outside the vessel, the air in the casing 11 being vented through the pipes 30. Previous to entering the casing 11 the man may protect himself with a suitable helmet and apparatus for supplying oxygen for sufiicient time to keep him alive While he is in the casing 11. He may also put on a protection for the upper portionof his body against the heavy pressure of the Water outside the vessel. I

After the pressure'within the casing 11 is substantially the same as that of the'water outside the man in the casing may open the cap 12 by pushing it upwardly and thus escape to the surface, or the cap 12 may be opened by persons within the submarine pulling down on the handle 17, or it may open automatically by the weight 19 as soon as the pressures are equalized.

7 After the man has escaped the cl'osure'12 may be closed by manipulation of the handle 17, thus sealing the upper end of the-casing 11, and then: the closure38 may be opened permitting the water in the casing to run out. As; this is a comparatively small amount of water it willnot materially cut down the air space within the submarine compartment.

Another man may now take his place Within the casing 11 and the operation repeated until all the men escape.

The casing 11 maybe employed for carrying a signal buoy 48 (Fig. 8) connected by means of a flexible cable 49 toan anchorage (not shown) within the submarine.

vessel. For this purpose the operating mem- This 'buoy may be released prior to the escape of her 29 for the ball valve 21 in the cap 12 may be extended down through the lower head 50 of the device where it may be operated from the interior of the vessel topermit opening of the closure 12. The buoy 48 may then be allowed to float to the surface, and this buoy may be provided with a chamber closed by a door 51 in which food or messages may be sent to the parties in the'vessel. If the device is intended to be used for escape from the submarine the anchoring cable 49 may be released to permit closing of the cap 12.

I have provided a device whereby'water may be forced out the upper end of the casing 11 if it is found undesirable to permit this water to flow from the casing into the submarine after a man has passed out through this device. For this purpose a piston 51 fit ting the interior of the casing is mounted to reciprocate therein, it being normally in position at the lower end of this. casing. The head is carried on a suitable ring 52 which may be supported to turn on the casing 11 by suitable ball bearings 58 so that it is operated with minimum friction, and it has threaded engagement with a stem 54 secured to the piston 51. The head 50 may be rotated by suit able means, such as handles or hand pins 54 and thus reciprocate the piston 51. As the pressure within the casing may be quite large the thread of screw 54 should be of a comp aratively small lead or pitch. This may be operated after the man or buoy has been released through the upper end of the casing 11 to force water out of the casing. The closure 12 may then be closed and after the piston has again been withdrawn to its lower position the closure 38 may be opened. It will, of course, be necessary before operating the head 50 to release the cable 19 and detach the operative connection 29. It will also be understood that the piston and the rod 16 as well as the closure 38 is provided with suitable packing to prevent leakage, although this packing is not shown as it may be any of the conventional types. To prevent rotation'of the piston 51 in the casing, guides 55 may be provided on the interior of the casing cooperating with suitable notchesor recesses in the piston. I

In order to protect the projecting portions of the device from injury by a block of ice or other floating objects a guard 56 may be provided on the deck of the vessel in front'of the device.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the device is very simple in construction and may be easily manipulated by one man so that the last man may escape from the vessel without difficulty.

Having thus set forth the nature invention, what I claim is:

1. An escape device for submarines comprising a tubular casing adapted to project through the deck of the submarine, a hinged closure for the upper end-of said casing and opening outwardly, said closure being proof my vided with an opening closed by a valve,

operating means carried by the closure for manually opening the valv-e'and for automatically reclosing it, said casing being provided with an entrance opening within the submarine, and means for closing said openin g operable from within the casing.

2. An escape device for submarine. comprising a tubular casing projecting through the deck of the submarine, a hinged closure for the: upper. end. ofsaid casings; opening outwardly, said closure being provided." with an opening for equalizing. pressure controlled by avalve, meanszforxoperating said. valve, a.

connection. from. said closure to the; interior of the submarine, a weight connectedto, said,

connection .-forjautom.atic; opening: :of the closure as soon. asthepressures within and without the casing are equalized, said connection having means for manually closing and opening said closure, said casing having an entrance opening within the submarine, and a closure for said opening operable from within the casing. V

3. In an escape devicefor submarines, a tubular casing extending through the deck,

a hinged closure for the upper end of the casing opening outwardly, means controlled,

fromwithin the casing for neutralizing the pressure within and without the casing, said casing being provided with an entrance opening in its side wall, a closure for said open ing mounted to turn on the casing, and

means for operating the closure from within the casing.

4. In an escape device for submarines, a tubular casingextending through the shell thereof, a closure for the outer end thereof, means for equalizing pressure within the casing with that outside the vessel, said casing being provided with an entrance opening for a man through its side wall, a tubular closure mounted to turn about said casing and provided with a similar opening adapted to be brought into alignment with that in the casing, and means for operating 7 said tubular closure.

5. In an escape device for submarines, a tubular casing extending through the shell thereof, a closure for the outer end thereof, means for equalizing pressure within the casing with that outside the vessel, said casing being provided with an opening in its side wall, a tubular closure for said opening mounted to turn about the casing and having a similar opening adapted to be brought into alignment with that in the casing, means on the outside of the closure for operation thereof to'a partially closed positionby a side the vessel, means for operating the closure, means for operating'the valve, a piston fitting the interior of the casing, a rotatable head at the lower end of the casing, a rod for the piston having threaded connection Withsaidh'ead, means for rotating the head, said casing having an entrance opening therein'within' the Vessel, and a closure for said opening. i

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HENRY A. STUDWELL. 

